For the love of Blaidd
by Action is Eloquence
Summary: Why Scarblade attacked Maraqua.
1. Chapter 1

A small white Lupe and a green Kougra were playing with their toys by the docks in Krawk Island.

"Why did Scarblade attack Maraqua Jutta?" asked the Lupe. Jutta the Kougra replied

"How am I supposed to know that? Why yew asking me?"

"Ye want to know why Scarblade attacked Maraqua?" asked an old Pirate Lenny. The young pets nodded, Smiling as they went over with their toys.

"Arr, 'tis a long story. Some say Maraqua were like a sitting mallard. No defenders for it, y'see? Others say King Kelpbeard wanted guards, so he hired Scarblade, who wanted protection money. Then they say Kelpbeard didn' want to pay 'im so Kelpbeard refused and Scarblade got angry. T'aint no good saying what happened 'cos yew wanna know why 'e attacked Maraqua don' ye?" the young pets nodded as they sat down to listen.

"Well t'is all the fault of a Pirate Lupe an' an invizzible Koi…"

Scarblade watched the ship roll with the waves as the sun set. Scarblade had been negotiating with King Kelpbeard the terms of protecting Maraqua. He anticipated the arrival of King Kelpbeard's protection money greatly. He pondered on how best to spend the money. Maybe upgrading the ship, The Revenge, to a bigger man-o-war. He heard Goldfang, a yellow Gelert hiccup. He remembered Goldfang's love of ales and grog. If he gave the protection money to him, the pubs all over Krawk Island would be the richest in Neopia. As Scarblade turned to get into his bunk,

Fred shouted

"Little Jolly boat to Port!"

The pirates turned to see a small rowing boat with three figures in, two cloaked pets and a Maraquan Acara inside. Scarblade hoped that the money was inside the boat, inside those suspiciously heavy sacks. Scarblade leant over and hailed,

"Are you from Maraqua?"

The Acara shouted up,

"We are the representatives."

Scarblade signalled to Redclaw, a red Krawk to throw a rope-ladder over the side of the boat. The bags of money were making Scarblade shiver with excitement. An Orange Mynci climbed down to the boat. He passed the sacks up to a yellow Kyrii who passed it to another Kyrii to be hauled onto deck by a Bori. Scarblade watched the sacks of money being hauled over the side of The Revenge. A few minutes later the pirates saw the occupants row their rowing boat back to sea. As the boat approached the distant horizon, Scarblade ordered that Nathan finger open the first bag of Loot, then the next and the rest. His expectations of money and more riches faded like the sun as it set as Nathan opened the sacks, tingeing it blood red.

He had been tricked!

Scarblade cursed aloud angrily.

Inside the sacks were pebbles! No wonder that the money didn't sound real. Kelpbeard had tricked him. It was too late to catch the rowing boat, it was probably at Maraqua. Scarblade seethed with anger. He wanted revenge.


	2. Chapter 2

On the boat the Acara turned to the two cloaked figures. He said,

"Blaidd, You know what to do. You too Kelpi."

"Infiltrate Scarblade." Spoke Kelpi.

The Acara nodded then dived beneath the water. Blaidd, a cloaked pirate Lupe drew back her hood and put her cloak under the seats. She saw the ship steadily approach, and then helped Kelpi take off his cloak, now he showed nothing there, as an invisible Koi should. The ship drew closer. Blaidd tried to look inconspicuous by taking out a rod and starting to fish. The Revenge drew closer, ever closer. Fred shouted  
"Little Jolly boat to starboard."

Scarblade shouted up,

"How many aboard?"

Fred replied,  
"One. A pirate by the look of it."

Blaidd tried not to notice that the ship was right behind her. Scarblade looked over the rails.

"Ahoy there shipmate! Have you seen another Jolly Boat pass?"

Blaidd pretended to jump,

"None 'ere just me fishing." Shouted Blaidd back.

"How many ye caught?"

Blaidd saw that Scarblade was trying to start a conversation.

"None so far."

Blaidd saw Scarblade smile. It was a scary smile frightening ad horrible.

"Come aboard then. We need a good fisher aboard," he paused "If any" he muttered under his breath. Blaidd didn't catch that. The rope ladder went down again. Blaidd climbed up, with Kelpi following close behind un-spotted.

"The name's Blaidd" said Blaidd as she got on deck.

"Welcome to the Revenge Blaidd. I'm Benny. This is Cap'n Scarblade." Introduced Benny.

Blaidd saw that the Pirates had found out about their little trick.

"Was it crossers?" asked Blaidd, expressing concern, pointing at the sacks with a Cutlass.

"Yeah. And when we get 'em we kill 'em."

Everybody then went under-deck, Blaidd followed. But Kelpi stayed behind. Experience told him that the pirates knew that a storm was coming. But something was in the air, something that told him that this storm was going to be large.

Later Kelpi was proved right. This was the biggest storm Kelpi had seen, and he feared for all above water. He ran into the cabin where the crew-pets were, shouting,

"Storm and Whirlpools ahead!"

Redclaw asked Goldfang,

"'Ere did yew 'ear 'owt?"

"Nope. Musta been the wind."

Kelpi remembered that he was invisible and in anger, he picked up Goldfang's grog cask and threw it at a port-hole. Then he picked up a chess-board that a pirate Shoyru and a blue Chia were playing on and whirled it above his head, then threw it at the door.

"Ghosts! Every pet for themselves!" Pirates ran helter-skelter in the cabin. The noise attracted Scarblade's attention. As he came in, he saw the pirates he called crew in one corner hiding behind each-other trying to escape the 'phantom'. Blaidd was behind a sack, trying to hide herself. But there was something wrong. A chair was floating in mid-air. Scarblade rolled his eyes, and then he drew one of his swords and sliced the chair in half.

Murmurs of

"Thanks Cap'n" and "Good on yer Cap'n" were heard. Scarblade turned to face the bashful crew of pirates, expecting an explanation. In the end a Pirate Meerca spoke, "Well Cap'n… Everything were normal like, when Goldfang's grog was thrown at the window and a chess-board were thrown at the door. Then that chair floated…"

"Enough!" snapped Scarblade. "I don't care who started it, I'm finishing it. Clean this muck up and get it back to what it was."

As he turned to leave, Blaidd noticed that Scarblade was looking at her. As she grabbed for a pail of water and a scrubbing brush, she began cleaning the deck. Suring that Blaidd wondered why Scarblade was looking at her in that way. Then it clicked. Scarblade liked her!

The thought sent shivers down her back.

In old Maraqua the Acara reported on what had happened so far.

"My Lord, Scarblade has accepted the 'money'."

Kelpbeard smiled.

"It was a good idea of yours, Aquan."

He passed a small purse of _real _money to Aquan.

"But I do hope Blaidd will infiltrate Scarblade properly." He said suddenly.

"Scarblade? Blaidd'll be running circles around him!" exclaimed Aquan.

Kelpbeard laughed at Aquan's joke. On The Revenge, Kelpi was able to get any-where. Being Invisible no-pet noticed the disappearance of weapons or supplies. It was good being invisible. Now he was in the gang-way outside Scarblade's Quarters. Kelpi saw Benny open the door and followed him inside. Inside he heard everything about what was happening about Plans for taking Maraqua.

"Cap'n how shall we go about taking Maraqua?"

Kelpi shivered as he heard what Scarblade had next o say. "… Then we advance on the city."

Then Benny left. Scarblade went to his Journals.

Kelpi came over and saw the Lupe's journals.

'_Today I acquired the assistance of Blaidd as one of my fishers. She is one of the most Beautiful Lupe's that I have laid my eye upon. She would be the sort of pet to have as a Wife.'_

Kelpi was shocked!

Scarblade was so fantasized with Blaidd that he wanted her as his wife!

Scarblade stopped writing and hid the Journal in a chest._ Typical of pirates. They always hid booty or belongings in chests. _Kelpi slunk out as Scarblade slept. Blaidd was looking around the ship when she found Kelpi.

"Where've you been?" whispered a relieved Blaidd.

"No time to explain. Scarblade's going to attack Maraqua. We need to warn Kelpbeard as soon as possible." Spoke Kelpi in a rush. They moved to their Cabins.

"Just because he's your uncle, doesn't' mean that you're obliged to him. Sure he's a king. You might think royalty's a bit big-headed at times and self-centred. But remember this, I gave up my throne to help people, maybe you should help by helping others help."

Kelpi saw Blaidd's wisdom. As they approached Blaidd's Bunk she turned and whispered, "We wait until morning. Then we'll know Scarblade's true motives."

The next morning came and Blaidd went fishing aside The Revenge. She caught a few fish, but couldn't help but notice that the window of Scarblade's Cabin was wide open, and she could see a figure moving around in the Cabin. Kelpi sat in the boat talking to Blaidd.

"I tell you, being invisible's a blast!"

Blaidd rolled her eyes.

"Well be invisible carefully! You know that potion doesn't last forever. It only last as long as you're not completely submerged by water."

Scarblade leant out the window, there on the sea. There she was! Blaidd would be his or no one else. Scarblade was interrupted by his day-dream by a knock on the door. Resuming his Position as feared Buccaneer again,

He barked, "Enter".

In came his Navigator, a pirate Ixi.

"How many leagues to Maraqua?" asked Scarblade.

The Ixi replied ,

"Ten leagues sir."

"Good. Tell Kraaw to rally the fighters. When we're above it we strike!"

The Ixi left. Scarblade went back to day-dreaming about ways to tell Blaidd how he felt. Then his head came upon a brilliant scheme.

He would woo Blaidd by getting her caught by the Maraquans then rescuing her himself. This plan seemed best of all.

In Maraqua, the shadow of the moon fell on the city. Everywhere was quiet. In the castle, a hushed meeting was being held. Those present were Kelpbeard, Talek, Aquan and Kelpbeard's nephew, a blue Koi. They were discussing battle plans. Aquan had already left to receive the message from Kelpi. On the surface, Kelpi met Aquan.

"The infiltration has worked. Scarblade suspects nowt. There's one small problem though." Replied Kelpi.

"What's that?" asked Kelpi.

"Scarblade is besotted with Blaidd, so much he's gonna regret her being a Maraquan supporter. It's gonna break his heart."

Aquan sniggered.

"Is that all? I thought that simply that the pirate's will dismiss the thought of a pirate Maraquan supporter." With that Aquan dived back under the water.

On the ship, Scarblade was dreaming.

He dreamt of his wedding, but then he had a premonition of him as like the Ghost Lupe. It scared him so much, he had to wake up. He woke in a cold sweat.


	3. Chapter 3

As the night dragged on, Kelpi swam down to Maraqua after informing Blaidd that his job was done.

Whilst Blaidd slept, a sinister shadow crept in and put a sea-weed necklace around her neck. Scarblade's Plan was in motion! Blaidd woke under the sea, a few hours until dawn. She was a prisoner of a sea-monster, bound to a rock by a strong rope. She knew that she couldn't escape without being killed in the attempt. She let an inconspicuous piece of sea-litter from her pocket float up from the ground.

On the surface it was dawn. Scarblade anxiously watched the falling and rising seas. His eyes darted nervously around the sea. He was not worried of finding the crew up at this hour. He had drugged them with a special draught which would make them wake very late into the afternoon. He saw Kelp, tied to a small driftwood piece bob on the surface and his eyes fixated on it. He knew, it was Blaidd. He climbed on top of the railings. Then he plunged into the briny sea. Finding the sea-monster's lair, Scarblade sneaked inside, weaving in and amongst each shadow, he found his way to Blaidd. To cut her loose. She swam out of the cave mouth. But now the Leviathan was awake!

Scarblade drew his swords, and began attacking the Leviathan. Scarblade fought harder, thinking only for the safety of Blaidd. When Scarblade won his fight, he turned out to the see out the mouth of the cave. Now his heart saw a sight which filled his heart with Envy and rage. As he swam out of the cave, he saw Blaidd swimming towards Maraqua. Wounded to the heart, he unleashed a terrible curse.

Underwater, the Sea and the Dark Faeries heard that curse.

A giant whirlpool slowly descended on top of Maraqua. Scarblade surfaced and got back onto his ship after watching the whirlpool destroy most of Maraqua. A whirlpool that would last for a year. He felt glad that he had destroyed the Maraquan rebels, but his heart was torn for his love of Blaidd.

He consoled himself by saying,

"At least Maraqua's dead."

_Maybe Blaidd was going for help?_ He pondered.

_No. That felt Impossible. Maybe Blaidd survived who knew?_

The death-ship, The Revenge sailed away into the storm-clouds of the tempest above water to come. As the ship left, a face surfaced a few miles away from the whirlpool.

_It was Blaidd!_

She had dodged the whirlpool and missed being killed.

A small rowing boat came closer towards her,

Inside were a cloaked Usul and a yellow Ixi that wore a bandana.

"I'm not a Pirate," spoke Blaidd. "I'm from Maraqua. Maraqua's been destroyed by Scarblade."

"Then you'd better come with us."

The Ixi he said, and then he helped her in.

Many hours from now, since the destruction of Maraqua.

As the Sun set on Maraqua's ruins, the two Lupes watched the sun.

_Maybe she did survive? _Thought Scarblade regrettably.

Blaidd thought,

_It's time for me to return to my home-land._


End file.
